Bible Verse Of The Day

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Life or Riches?

Thought for the Day!

Jesus said, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me." Matthew 19:21

As a taxicab driver, I sometimes transport patients who are afflicted with cancer and under medical care. Marielle, a 53 year old woman, lives on a hill overlooking the city, in a magnificent villa with a beautiful swimming pool and an unrestricted view of the ocean. She had gone back to school, hoping to get a better job and to improve her quality of life and had been highly successful.

One day as we left for her chemotherapy session, she told me she would gladly trade all her worldly good for 10 more years of life so she could see her 16 year old son grow up. What she said stunned me. I thought that material possessions could make people happy, but even with all that she had, Marielle was not happy.

Her anguish was an important lesson for me. I thought about the rich young man who was sad when Christ asked him to sell all his goods to give the proceeds to the poor, and follow him. That day I came to understand that riches cannot give us genuine joy. Christ alone, who invites us to drink from his source of abundant life, is capable of giving us true happiness.

True joy can only be found when you totally submit your life to God. The joy that money can give is only temporary but the joy that comes from the Lord is forever.